Benfica have released a statement as details emerge about what happened in the tunnel following Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
The knockout phase play-off round first leg was marred by an alleged racist incident that occurred after Vinicius Jr scored the only goal of the game in the 50th minute. Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has been accused by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe of calling Vinicius Jr a “monkey” five times while using his shirt to cover his mouth.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior with teammates as the match was stopped due to racist chants Related
Thierry Henry Delivers Powerful Speech After Vinicius Accuses Prestianni of Racist Abuse
Thierry Henry didn't hold back when reacting to Vinicius Junior accusing Gianluca Prestianni of racist abuse in Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid.
Vinicius Jr made a complaint to French referee Francois Letexier, who halted the match for 10 minutes, and has since said: "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are. But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them.
"Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my team's life. I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don't understand why. On the other hand, it was just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose."
The accusation of racist abuse has been strenuously denied by Prestianni. The 20-year-old Argentine took to social media to protest his innocence, writing on Instagram: “I want to clarify that at no point did I direct racist insults at Vinícius Jr, who unfortunately misunderstood what he thought he heard. I have never been racist toward anyone.”
Meanwhile, Benfica have released new footage of the incident, insisting that it shows “Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard”. The Portuguese club’s head coach Jose Mourinho has also received criticism for his post-match response, suggesting Vinicius Jr incited the home crowd at the Estadio da Luz with his goal celebration.
Benfica Deny Rui Costa Was Involved in Tunnel Fight
Jose Mourinho with Rui Costa
Jose Mourinho with Rui Costa
Reports from Spanish outlet COPE - per Yahoo - stated that tensions spilled over into the tunnel after the final whistle. It was rumoured that Benfica’s president Rui Costa, who earned 94 Portugal caps during his illustrious career, was involved in a physical altercation with a member of Real Madrid’s backroom staff.
The report stated that the person in question was not a player or a member of staff, but Cesar Nanclares - a member of the club’s media division.
However, this has been denied by Benfica, who said in a statement posted on X (Twitter):
“It is completely false that the president of Sport Lisboa e Benfica was involved in any discussion or physical confrontation with a member of Real Madrid. This is a totally false and unfounded accusation.”
Meanwhile, The Athletic are reporting that there were “tense scenes” in the tunnel involving Benfica staff and a Real Madrid employee. Crucially, the report adds: “This did not escalate into violence, however, with Benfica publishing a statement saying it was ‘completely false’ that their president, Rui Costa, had been involved in a confrontation.”